Sunday Hymn: We Plough the Fields

We Plough the Fields

We plough the fields, and scatter
The good seed on the land,
But it is fed and watered
By God's almighty hand;
He sends the snow in winter,
The warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine,
And soft refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us
Are sent from heav'n above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
For all his love.

He only is the Maker
Of all things near and far;
He paints the wayside flower,
He lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey him,
By him the birds are fed;
Much more to us, his children,
He gives our daily bread.

We thank thee, then, O Father,
For all things bright and good,
The seed time and the harvest,
Our life, our health, our food:
No gifts have we to offer
For all thy love imparts,
But that which thou desirest,
Our humble, thankful hearts.

Trinity Hymnal #614

November of Thanksgiving 2010

Tonight, as I reflect upon my busy day, I am thankful for my friend, Chad.  I only knew Chad for two short years before I moved to Illinois, but we have managed to maintain a long distance friendship during these past (nearly) eight years.

So often, friendships sort of fade away after a few years of moving away.  I don't see Chad very often, nor do we communicate on a regular basis, but most of the time when we do 'talk' via email or Facebook, it is about the things of God.  Chad is one of those 'iron sharpens iron' friends for which I am very grateful.

Quote of the Week: Bonhoeffer

“Our song on earth is speech. It is the sung Word. Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak and pray the same Word at the same time; in other words, because here they can unite in the Word. All devotion, all attention should be concentrated upon the Word in the hymn. The fact that we do not speak it but sing it only expresses the fact that our spoken words are inadequate to express what we want to say, that the burden of our song goes far beyond all human words. Yet we do not hum a melody; we sing words of praise to God, words of thanksgiving, confession, and prayer. Thus the music is completely the servant of the Word. It elucidates the Word in its mystery.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

HT:  John Bird

November of Thanksgiving 2010

I am thankful for answered prayer.

November of Thanksgiving 2010

Today is our wedding anniversary!  Naturally, today (and every day!) I am thankful for my beloved husband, Tom, and for all the happy years we've been together! Together we have three wonderful sons, a beautiful daughter in law and two delightful grandchildren! 

God knew what he was doing when He made marriage.  I believe a happy marriage is the greatest joy and the greatest blessing we can experience in this mortal life and the closest glimpse we can see to what it will be like being part of the family of God for all eternity.  Our marriage isn't perfect, of course, but it is precious!  Thank you, God, for this great gift!

November of Thanksgiving 2010

Today is a busy day.  I had a doctor's appointment this morning, I'm fixing food, I've got business emails that need responding to, the grandkids are coming for the afternoon, and I've got to get the house cleaned up for prayer meeting tonight.   I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right now but I'm thankful that nobody is coming to my house tonight with white gloves.  They're coming to pray.

I am so blessed to be part of a church that prays together.  Jesus said that when two or more are gathered together in His name, He would be in the midst of the gathering.  I'm thankful for the incredible, ineffable privilege it is to pray to our Heavenly Father in the Name of His Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amazing!

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 

Absolutely Addictive

Cayenne Pretzels

1 envelope ranch dressing

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 heaping teaspoon cayenne pepper (we like it hot--adjust for your taste)

1 cup vegetable oil

2 10 ounce bags of thin pretzel sticks

Stir all ingredients together until thoroughly mixed and coated.  Spread on two half sheet cookie sheets and bake for 1 1/2 hours at 200 degrees, stirring every 30 minutes.

Cool and serve to friends and family.  Hide from yourself.  Better yet, have someone ELSE hide the pretzels.

November of Thanksgiving 2010

I'm thankful for the 7 minutes in the car with my son, Sam, twice a day.  It's a chance for the two of us to discuss politics, current events, Harry Potter; whatever comes to mind.  I enjoy hearing him express his views and I'm proud of the way he is developing discernment when it comes to politics and the media.

He's a good kid and a great blessing.

Thank you, Lord, for my boys.

Thanksgiving is a good thing.  Sharing your thanksgiving thoughts with others is a good thing.  I hope you'll join in with me and others in this November of Thanksgiving!

Net Ski

"What the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. Whether I'm online or not, my mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles. Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski."

--Nicholas Carr, The Shallows 

(I read this quote this morning, took a second to copy it and promptly forgot where I read it.  Perhaps another symptom of Net Ski?)

November of Thanksgiving 2010

I'm thankful that I had a productive day in my studio today, even though my thumb is really hurting now.

I got three out of four Christmas letters completed for a client today.  That's a lot of lettering in one day, but I got behind last week with window washing so I had to try to get caught up.  

I'm also thankful for my oh-so-very handy son, John, who came by this morning and replaced the front screen door handle for us.  

Thanksgiving is a good thing.  Sharing your thanksgiving thoughts with others is a good thing.  I hope you'll join in with me and others in this November of Thanksgiving!

November of Thanksgiving 2010

I'm thankful that I live in a country in which I can still gather together with other believers to worship the Living God without fear.

Thanksgiving is a good thing.  Sharing your thanksgiving thoughts with others is a good thing.  I hope you'll join in with me and others in this November of Thanksgiving!

Quote of the Week:

He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes a book. 

Benjamin Franklin 

Sunday Hymn: Amazing Love

Amazing Love

My Lord, what love is this
That pays so dearly
That I, the guilty one
May go free!

Amazing love, what sacrifice
The Son of God, given for me
My debt He pays, and my death He dies
That I might live, that I might live!

And so, they watched Him die
Despised, rejected
But oh, the blood He shed
Flowed for me!

Amazing love, what sacrifice
The Son of God, given for me
My debt He pays, and my death He dies
That I might live, that I might live!

And now, this love of Christ
Shall flow like rivers
So come wash your guilt away
Live again!

Amazing love, what sacrifice
The Son of God, given for me
My debt He pays, and my death He dies
That I might live, that I might live!

November of Thanksgiving 2010

The last window pane is clean; the last storm window installed.  The gutters are clean and nearly all the leaves are raked.  It feels good to have it all done and it really is wonderful to work side by side with my husband.  Even though the work is hard and we get tired and stiff and sore, we still manage to have fun doing it.

I'm thankful that it's time to shift gears and move from winterizing to planning our Thanksgiving dinner.

The menu is set, the shopping list in process and, once completed, I'm off to shop this morning.

I love everything about preparing our Thanksgiving meal.  Planning, shopping, cooking, baking, decorating, setting the table--it's all a joy because my family looks forward to it and they all really appreciate all I do get it ready for them.  

I love cooking for my family and I'm thankful that they can taste the love that goes into my cooking--whether it's a normal lunch or Thanksgiving dinner.  I'm thankful for a loving family.

Thanksgiving is a good thing.  Sharing your thanksgiving thoughts with others is a good thing.  I hope you'll join in with me and others in this November of Thanksgiving!

November of Thanksgiving 2010

Tom is taking the day off so that we can (hopefully) get the house buttoned up for winter.  We've been slow to finish the storm windows because the weather has been so beautiful.  We'e been able to  leave the windows open, but one of these days, we know it's going to get cold and snowy.  We've waited too long to put the storm windows up in the past and had to quickly install them without washing the windows.  I don't relish a whole winter of looking through dirty windows.

So I'm thankful today for time and pleasant weather to get our chores finished.  I'll also be thankful when it's all done!

Thanksgiving is a good thing.  Sharing your thanksgiving thoughts with others is a good thing.  I hope you'll join in with me and others in this November of Thanksgiving!

I feel ready for anything today

I woke up with the hymn, A Mighty Fortress, in my mind.  I 'sang' through every verse before I got out of bed.  What a mighty way to start the day!

A Mighty Fortress

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper he amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great;
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he,
Lord Sabaoth his name,
From age to age the same,
And he must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.

That Word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through him who with us sideth;
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God's truth abideth still;
His kingdom is for ever.

November of Thanksgiving 2010

It's Thursday and, surprise!  I'm thankful for my ladies' Bible study.

And the mercy, kindness, and patience of God.

And Christian hope:  Christ in me, the hope of glory.

Thanksgiving is a good thing.  Sharing your thanksgiving thoughts with others is a good thing.  I hope you'll join in with me and others in this November of Thanksgiving!

November of Thanksgiving 2010

Another glorious fall day here in Illinois.  We've had so many beautiful days for which to be thankful and each time I've savored them, thinking they might be the last.  

It's lovely to enjoy the breeze coming through the open windows in November--a rare treat!

I'm thankful for the way a beautiful day can lift one's spirits.

Thanksgiving is a good thing.  Sharing your thanksgiving thoughts with others is a good thing.  I hope you'll join in with me and others in this November of Thanksgiving!

November of Thanksgiving 2010

I'm thankful that (almost) all my windows have been washed from the inside and I had the energy to do it!

I admit I needed a short nap before fixing supper, and I'm thankful for that, too.

I'm thankful for time this evening to study a very difficult passage of scripture (Judges 11) and the resources I need to help me understand it better.

And I'm thankful that:  

All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them. WCF Chapter 1, Section 7

November of Thanksgiving 2010

I'm thankful for cell phone photos and a dear son who sends Grandma pictures to brighten her day: